The Arkansaw traveler., 1887-09-24


 at last was seriously i'll. During her delirious moments she would call pit eously for Mabel.
 "A consultation of physicians was held and l was advised to prepare for the worst. It came about week later-after many nights of weary watching my wife fell into a peaceful slumber from which she never awoke. The end came one fine Sabbath morn- ing when the church bells were sum- moning the people to worship.
 "My home was broken up. plunged into business harder than ever in order to stifie and forget the effects of my bereavements. 1 became reckless and lost considerable money that ordinary caution would have prevented. Three years passed, I still lived in the old house which had been the scene of so much happiness, but now was so l desolate.
 "I was advised by friends to sell the property, move elsewhere and take a wife. But still held the memory of my wife too sacred to think of anyone else in that light.
 "From time to time 1 advertised ill general way offering a reward for information relative to Mabel's where abOuts, but met with failure in every 1 instance.
 My room in the house was on the first or parlOr floor immediately in the rear of the back parlor. From the back parlor n glass door connected with a small veranda that stood at the side of the house. It was my habit 1 in warm weather to leave the doors open in both parlors so as to get a cool draft of air from the front win dow.
 "One night 1 sat up later than usual writing some letters that wished to send by the early mail next day was sitting at my desk in little room off my bedroom It was nearly midnight and the housekeeper and two servants were in their rooms over head ill the rear portion of the house.
 Ut was very quiet: nothing but the scratching of my pen and the ticking of the little clock on the mantel ill the next room disturbed the absolute stiffness of the hour. During pause ill my writing fancied heard slight noise at the glass door. l lis- tened and as it was not repeated re- sumed my writing. A few minutes later.l heard the knob of the glass door turn softly as if some one was trying to get in. At the same time thought saw the shadow of a man on the wall of the house next to mine.
 ''There hung on the wall of my room Winchester rifle which had been my good and trusty companion during my sharpshooting days when was in the Wilderness with General Grant. There had been some burglaries committed in our block the week previous and I had cleaned and reloaded the rifle
 ''It was the work of a moment to cross the room, take down the weapon, cock it, and advance into the back parlor, It would he certain death for the burglar if shot at him, for had picked off many rebel while 1 was in the Wilderness, and never was known to miss my man.
 Il stood thus for perhaps two min- utes in no little suspense when the door knob was again tried and head ap- peared just above the edge of the woodwork below the glass. l assumed that the burglar was on his knees try ing the lock. I immediately called out in loud voice:
 "'Throw up yonr hands or Pll fire at you,' and taking deliberate aim at the head l counted: One, two'-just then my finger began to press the trigger when child's voice called out Don't fire papa, it is me, come back to you and mammal
 "I dropped the rife to the floor, a cold precipitation covered me and trembled from head to foot. I stag gered to the door and with nerveless fingers, unlocked it somehow.
 "The next instant my long lost child was being nearly chrushed in my arms and I wept the first tears of joy of my life.
 By this time the housekeeper and two servants appeared, the gas was lighted and the uproar increased by one of the girls going into mysteries.
 "A policeman came to inquire the cause of the disturbance and was amazed when I grabbed him around his ample wrist and exclaimed, Thank God!' When the house. keeper told him about it, he rubbed his sleeve over his eyes and said he was glad too, and went out. A re- porter for morning paper came and got the facts in the case. My Mabel had grown about head taller. She was thinner than when she left us , three years before. She was ragged and dirty, but then had her back again.
 "She was taken in charge by the housekeeper who had by this time restored the hysterical woman.